∙Rare and interesting vehicle.
∙Wooden coachwork and interior structure in striking condition, presumed original.
∙A real source of curiosity and interest from passers-by! 
∙Huge load area in the back.

The Fordson E83W is a 10 cwt (half-ton) light commercial vehicle that was built by Ford of Britain, at the Dagenham plant (home of Fordson tractors) between 1938 and 1957. (The vehicle was also sold from 1952, under the Thames brand, as the Thames E83W.)

The van was sold in Australia as the Ford Ten-Ten, and the E83W was available in various forms around much of the world as Britain strove to export after WWII. In some countries, the 'cowl and chassis' was only imported and local bodies built.

The E83W was aimed at the small haulage, trade and merchant market sectors in which it sold well. An estate-car variant was also available. During and after WWII, many specialist variations such as mobile canteens, ice-cream vans and even fire pumps were built on the E83W chassis.

The E83W was powered by the 1172 cc Ford 10 hp sidevalve engine, with a 3-speed gearbox, and was heavily geared down in the rear axle. This made the Fordson much slower than the saloons, with an effective top speed of not much over 40 mph. Apart from the 10 hp engine, the E83W shares few parts with the other small Fords, which does make spares a little harder to find. The front and rear axles are much heavier than the saloon and 5cwt van components, and share some parts such as bearings and other internals with the contemporary Ford V8 models (Models 62 and E71A Pilot). The headlamps were shared with the E27N tractor, for which they were an optional extra only.

The vendor understands that BJV 185 was originally sold to the owners of a large country estate, who used it only within the estate grounds and not on public roads. (This might explain why the V5 document says it was first registered on 1st June 1980!) It was then, the owner understands, housed in a museum for around twenty years. In 1993 it was acquired by an owner in Chessington, Surrey, and in 2005 it was transferred to someone with the same surname and address (presumably a relative), who sold it to the current owner in 2019. 

The current owner has struggled to find historical details regarding the unusual wooden coachwork, and his posts on social media have elicited few responses. Internet searches turn up no similar-looking vehicles, so it’s possible that this was a one-off custom build. The owner has the vehicle insured for an agreed value of £40,000, which may reflect its rarity and the cost of any potential restoration.

The woodwork both inside and outside the vehicle, all of which is presumed to be original, is in amazingly good condition. This would seem to substantiate the owner’s understanding that BJV 185 spent around twenty years of its life in a museum. The paint on the metal panels is sound, with a few small stone chips that have been touched in. There is no sign of rust on any of the body panels. The padded vinyl roof, which again the owner believes is original, is in very good condition, with no tears or discolouration. 

All four wheels are in good condition and the tyres – which the owner believes are original – have lots of tread. The tread pattern is an ‘off-road’ type which seems to substantiate the idea that the vehicle was largely used for management and leisure duties on a country estate in its early life. There is a spare wheel, with a sound tyre, secured underneath the rear and reached via a dedicated door below the rear door.  

Underneath, the vehicle appears to be structurally sound with little more than superficial rust.  

The Fordson badge on the front grille is not in good condition but the vendor says he has a new one to fit before sale.

The first thing you notice upon opening the rear doors is the amazing interior woodwork, which was clearly put together by skilled craftsmen. In particular, the interior wooden roof structure is magnificent. By contrast, the wooden deck flooring is rather tiring but would be easily improved. The load area is huge by comparison with even the biggest modern estate cars, and as such would suit some sort of commercial use by a business looking for a ‘statement’ vehicle! The metal boxes that cover the wheel arches are not attractive but don’t impinge too much on the usable load area. 

Both front seats are in sound condition, with few signs of wear and no tear and 
although they appear to be of more modern design and construction, the owner is under the impression that these are original. The dashboard, in common with many of its contemporaries, is rather spartan but the few instruments appear to work well. The pedals show few signs of wear, especially given the car’s age.     

The car starts readily and the engine appears to run smoothly. The owner says that the brakes need some adjustment before it can be driven properly, hence we have not been able to make a proper assessment of how the car drives. The battery in the photographs was a temporary fitting to get the car running and the owner has a more ‘period’ battery to install before sale.   

 

The V5 document records the car as first taxed in 1980, while the DVLA website says the year of manufacture is 1950. The DVLA website also shows the vehicle as being untaxed, with no MoT. The owner has, at the time of writing, not been able to provide any additional paperwork.

This is certainly a vehicle that turns heads! During our photo shoot, numerous passers-by came to take ‘phone photos and ask questions. It’s a striking-looking vehicle that arouses interest from both car enthusiasts and the wider public, with the inevitable first question: “What is it?”.  

With few if any similar vehicles in existence, certainly in the UK, any potential new owner could be sure that they owned something very rare and very unusual, that appears to have led a sheltered life if, as the owner believes, it spent a long time in the dry and warm surroundings of a museum.  

As with all Sidevalve fords, there is a very active club scene for the E83W. The dedicated Fordson E83W Facebook group has more than 850 members, many of whom post frequent photos and updates. There are also comprehensive history pages on a dedicated E83W website.    

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